16 of the best jokes and one-liners ever told at the Edinburgh Fringe

For over a decade, TV channel Dave took it upon itself to crown the ‘best joke’ of the Edinburgh Fringe each year. It proved quite a challenge, given that the arts festival welcomes hundreds of shows and hopeful comics to the city. Its annual competition, the Funniest Joke of the Fringe, named a winner from a competition shortlist drawn up by a panel of comedy critics, before members of the public are asked to pick their three favourite jokes.

However, as of 2025 Dave said the Joke of the Fringe award is ‘resting’ and wouldn’t be happening. In response, production company Need to Know Comedy announced it would revive its (Some Guy Called) Dave Award, which was initially a pandemic-era substitute for Joke of the Fringe. 

It was broughg back in 2025 and again in 2026, with this year’s victor announced as 2019 Dave winner (and regular shortlistee) Olaf Falafal. See his winning gag below.

The proliferation of joke contests in a post-Dave world means it can be hard to say what the ‘official’ best joke is now – so also a shout out to Fil Milton, who won the new £1,000 Cheeziest Joke of the Edinburgh Fringe 2026 – sponsored by Cheez-It, which is apparently a type of cracker – with his gag ‘My brother convinced me to go halves on a used funeral car. I can’t believe I was so easily co-hearsed’.

However, for now we’re going with (Some Guy Called) Dave as the spiritual successor. The £500 (plus a trophy!) award is based upon a slightly whimsical strategy of asking comedians to submit up to five one-liners from their shows, having a team of inductry professionals whittle them down to a list of 25, then get a group of random Fringe goers to pick the top 10.

Keen to hear the previous winning jokes? Check them out below.

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The best jokes and one-liners ever told at the Edinburgh Fringe

2026 - Olaf Falafel

‘I remember thinking, as I taped a piranha to my boomerang, this could come back to bite me’.

2025 - Andy Gleeks 

‘I had to visit the trauma unit last weekend. He prefers the term Dad.’

2024 – Mark Simmons

‘I was going to sail around the globe in the world’s smallest ship, but I bottled it.’

2023 – Lorna Rose Treen

‘I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah.’

2022 – Masai Graham

‘I tried to steal spaghetti from the shop, but the female guard saw me and I couldn’t get pasta.’

2019 – Olaf Falafel

‘I keep randomly shouting out “Broccoli” and “Cauliflower” – I think I might have Florets.’

2018 – Adam Rowe

‘Working at the job centre has to be a tense job: knowing that if you get fired, you still have to come in the next day.’

2017 – Ken Cheng

‘I’m not a fan of the new pound coin, but then again, I hate all change.’

2016 – Masai Graham

‘My dad has suggested that I register for a donor card. He’s a man after my own heart.’

2015 – Tommy Tiernan

‘Two flies are playing football in a saucer. One says to the other: “Make an effort, we’re playing in the cup tomorrow.”’

2014 – Tim Vine

‘I’ve decided to sell my Hoover… well, it was just collecting dust.’

2013 – Rob Auton

‘I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa.’

2012 – Stewart Francis

‘You know who really gives kids a bad name? Posh and Becks.’

2011 – Nick Helm

‘I needed a password eight characters long so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.’

2010 – Tim Vine

‘I've just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I’ll tell you what, never again.’

2009 – Dan Antopolski

‘Hedgehogs – why can’t they just share the hedge?’